Paper-making method and machine



.Iuly30, 1929. w. H. MILLSPAUGH I PAPER MAKING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed July 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ililnelilirlllllll'l u!! @mi E W. H. MILLSPAUGH VPAPER MAKING METHOD AND MACHINE July 30, 1929.

Filed July 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet July 30, l929 l w. H. MjLLsPAuGl-i PAPER MAKING METHOD AND MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 -Filed July 6. 1925 Patented July 30, 1929..

UNETED STATES y masas raiser erstes.

WILLIAM H. MILLSPAUGH, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

PAPER-MAKING METHOD AND MACHINE.

Application filed July 6, 1925. Serial 1\To41,761.

This invention relates to paper-making and among other objects is intended to provide an improved method and machine for use 1n the manufacture of laminated or plural-ply papers.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing for illustration certain apparatus embodying and for use in practicing methods embodying the invention.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of one practicable form of machine for practicing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 omitting the guide roll;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 showing two guide rolls to hold the making wires and paper; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation (substantially diagrammatic) of a machine such as illustrated in Fig. 1 with additional equipment for use in manufacture of a product of more plies than that made with the equipment shown in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 6 denotes a paper-forming suction roll which is driven to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. By appropriate suction-box equipment, the roll is shown provided with vacuum chambers 7 and 8, said chambers bcing connected with suitable vacuum-producing apparatus (not shown). An endless wire cloth or making wire 9, entrained upon and driven by the suction roll, supplies porous material for a sheet forming surface on the suction roll and serves to convey the paper sheet from the roll and into contact with another such sheet. Liquid stock of a character suitable for commercial paper manufacture is maintained on the forming surface of the roll by means such for example as the open-ended vat 10 cooperating with the roll to hold the liquid stock thereon. The liquid stock may be continuously supplied to and maintained at the proper level in the vat by appropriate means.

Another wire cloth or making wire 11 is shown entrained upon and driven by another oppositely rotating suction roll 12 having suction-box equipment and liquid stock applying means similar to those above described with reference to the suction roll 6 and the elements of which are designated by the same reference numerals as the corresponding elements on the first mentioned roll.

The sheet carrying runs of the wires 9 and 11 are shown converging and bring the sheets together upon or against a blow-roll 13 from which the wires are defiected so that their c0- acting runs travel substantially collinearly to a roll 14, which in this instance is a suction transfer roll. Said suction roll 14 serves as a bottom guide roll for the wire 9, while the wire 11 travels around a lower guide roll 15. Gther guiding and tensioning rolls engaging the return runs of the wires are indicated at 16. An adjustable guide roll 17 is shown cooperating with the blow-roll to hold the wires and intervening sheets firmly against the blow roll which discharges a fluid medium under pressure into or through the paper sheets so held by the wires. The pressure applied through the roll 17 may be adjusted as circumstances require.

The blower roll 13, which is a practicable means for the function stated, may be of the ordinary suction roll type of construction. A pressure chamber in said roll, containing said fluid medium under adequate pressure to effect its penetration into or through the paper, is provided by the box 18 to which said fiuid medium is supplied by appropriate connections with the supply source. A catchpan 19 may be arranged adjacent said blower roll to receive the moisture expelled from the paper by the medium discharge or blown from the roll.

With the illustrative means above described, the wet paper Sheets form under vacuum action on the making wires as they traverse their respective arcs of cont-act with the liquid stock in the vats or while exposed to the chambers 7, in which chambers appropriate vacuum is maintained to effect such wet sheet formation of paper of desired thickness from the stock provided, while the water from the stock is drawn oftl by the vacuum apparatus connected with said chambers. The sheets may form with straight clean-cut edges by laterally confining the liquid stock bearing upon the forming surfaces between thin smooth side plates having concave edges closely overlying but not in actual contact with said surfaces, as disclosed by the present inventor in prior applications. The vacuum maintained in the chambers 7 will depend upon conditions such as the nature and preparation of the stock and the desired thickness and character of the product. By

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properly adjusting the vacuum with reference to such conditions and the speed of rotation of the cylinders and the areas of liquid contact, uniform wet sheets of line format-ion ranging from thin tissues to comparatively thick sheets may be produced at fast as wel] as moderate rates of speed. Sheets or plies of the saine or unequal thickness may be formed from the same class of stock or from different classes of stock.

The vacuum Ichambers 7 are shown extending substantially beyond or above the liquid levels in the vats, whereby the wet sheets emerging from the liquid are held intact as formed and undergo ensuing drainage by vacuum action as they are carried on their forming surfaces away from the liquid. Such drainage by vacuum may be such as to temper the sheets to a desired or predetermined moisture condition. In view, however, of the diiiiculty of adjusting the vacuum for both forming and tempering under various conditions of practice without speed limitations, the independent vacuum chambers 8 may advantageously be used for such tempering. In making laminated or plural-ply paper, the sheets to be united should carry a certain percentage of water for bonding, while on the other hand too much water is objectionable. The amount of moisture requisite or most advantageous in given cases depends upon specific conditions as to the sto-ck and preparation thereof, thickness and character of work, etc., and to some extent upon the treatment to which the merged sheets are to be subjected. For tempering the sheets to the desired moisture condition, the vacuum in said chambers may be adjusted so as to force substantially uniformly through the respective sheets such quantities of air as to expel sutlicient moisture to bring the sheets to the desired lovv moisture content. ln this instance, generally speaking, it is contemplated to bring the sheets to the most effective moisture condition for perfect bonding by the bonding practice presently to be described; the minimum moisture content for perfect bonding` being preferred.

rlChe sheets thus made and 'conditioned on the suction rolls are carried on the converging` runs of the carrying mediums or wires 9 and 11 and brought together for bonding in a single web. 1n the illustrative machine the coacting wires, deflected on the rolls 13 and le, apply a pressure upon the intervening sheets carried by the wires, which pressure in some cases may be sutlicient for bonding of the sheets together or for a partial bonding which is completed as the web composed of said sheets is passed to and through the press or presses. .Such pressure of the wires may be adjusted or additional pressure applied, as for instance by adjustment of the roll 17. In the illustrative construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wires are only slightly deflected by the roll 17, the primary functions of which in this instance are to hold the wires and intervening paper sheets firmly to the blow roll against the pressure of the medium discharging therefrom and to insure a desired arc of engagement of the coacting wires with the blow roll.

As the wires carry the sheets past the blow roll, the medium under pressure on the roll discharges into or through the paper sheets7 the latter being iirmly held by the wires and supported thereby against the pressure of the discharging medium and protected from injury. The forcing of an appropriate medium, as air or hot air or steam, into or through the merging paper sheets will assist in the bonding of the sheets together by the pressure exerted by the discharging medium and its action in the paper' material, contributing to elhcient bonding, while this action is accompanied by a further moisture reduction through displacement or expulsion of `moisture by 0r with the discharging medium. By employing a hot medium, as steam, superheated steam or hot air, the further advantage among others is obtained of heating the paper material internally and thus rendering its remaining moisture readily evaporable, with resultant economies in the final drying of the paper on the usual steam heated cylinders or otherwise. The present inventor has employed steam as a heating agent in paper. Ordinary live or exhaust steam forced into moist paper would serve to heat the paper and displace moisture therefrom while supplying a lesser amount of moisture by the condensation of the steam in the moist paper material. This may be vdesirable in some cases. Then steam is used, it may be advantageous after the steam treatment to blow out hotl moisture of steam condensation by the further forcing of a heating medium as superheated steam or hot air into or through the paper; and in other cases it may be desirable to force a plurality of moisture expelling and/ or heating media into the paper. For such purpose the blower-roll may be equipped as shown in Fig. 4 with a box having separate chambers or compartments for the steam and hot air or other agents. The present inventor has also employed superheated steam and hot air. Superheated steam is at present considered preferable as affording a medium for imparting a higher temperature to the paper than could ordinarily be obtained by hot air without injury.

ln many cases, particularly in treating light weight paper or material permeable by a medium under moderate pressure, it will be sufficient to train the wires in engagement with the blow roll in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. 1n other cases where the medium discharges from the blow roll under greater pressure, or where the mechanical arrangement would render it otherwise difli- CLI cult to obtain the desired arc of engagement of the wires with the blow roll, it will be advantageous to employ one or more guide rolls, as 17, to cooperate with the blow roll to hold the wires and intervening sheets firmly on the latter. One such coacting roll 17 is shown in Fig. 2, and two such rolls are shown in Fig. 4.

The action above described with reference to the blow roll exemplifies a bonding practice accompanied by the forcing of a moisture removing medium and more particularly a heating medium into or through the paper, this action being advantageously applied in the initial phase of the bonding process. The carrying of the tempered sheets by the coacting wires in engagement with the blow roll, with the accompanying action exerted by the medium discharging into the paper so held by the wires, may in itself serve for the effectual bonding of the sheets together, with or without other contributing factors as for instance pressure applied through one or more rolls 17, or such action may initiate or augment the bonding taking place under various contributing factors and which will consummate in the further carriage of the resultant web by the wires and its transfer to and passage through a press section or sections. Moreover the moisture reduction and heating of the web as it traverses the pressure area of the blow roll may in some cases render the web in suitable condition for immediate delivery to the driers, though generally it will be desirable to pass the web through one or more presses.

Moisture expelled from the paper by the medium discharged by the blow roll may collect in the catch pan 19. Any moisture blown onto the guide roll 17 in Figs. 1 and 2 or onto the upper guide roll in Fig. 4 may be doctored off bv the blade 21; while the lower guide roll in Fig. 4: is so located that it will not take up the discharging moisture and return it to the wires.

The suction-roll 14C in Fig. 1 is employed as a transfer roll and for that purpose has its suction box or chamber arranged to act on the composite web as the latter traverses said roll and transfers the web onto the wire 9, or prevents said web from following the roll 15. From the wire 9, the composite web is transferred by a suction transfer roll 22 onto a press felt 23. The felt 23 is shown passing through a press here represented as comprising a squeeze roll 24 and coacting suction roll 25 the vacuum chamber of which acts at the bite of the rolls. The felt at its delivery end, where the web is taken ."rom the felt and delivered to driers or to a succeeding part of the machine (not shown) is shown passing around a guide roll 26 and its return run is guided or tensioned by the rolls 27. A guide-roll 28 is shown to guide the felt under the transfer roll 22. One or more press sections may be employed for smoothing purposes or for completing the bonding of sheets where the latter have been only partially bonded between the coacting runs of the wires 9 and 11.

Referring now to Fig. 5, endless mediums or making Wires 29, 30, 31 and 32 are shown respectively entrained upon suction-rolls 33, 34, 35 and 36 arranged superstructurally in oppositely rotating pairs above the suction rolls 6 and 12. Said rolls 33, 34, 35 and 36 are shown with suction box equipment and liquid stock applying means similar to those hereinbefore described with reference to the suction rolls 6 and 12, and the elements of which are designated by the same reference numbers as the corresponding elements on said lower rolls. Wet sheets may be made and tempered on the upper suction rolls in the manner previously explained. All or any number of these upper suction-rolls in conjunction with the rolls 6 and 12 may be .employed in simultaneously making continuous wet paper sheets or plies to be brought together and bonded in a laminated or plural-ply web, the making-wires of the respective cylinders being arranged to deliver .sheet formed thereon onto one or the other of the lower cylinders.

The wires associated with said upper pairs of cylinders in Fig. 5 are shown converging to bring the sheets formed on such cylinders into contact, each pair or set of upper wires 29-30 and 31-32 being trained against and deflected by one of a pair of squeeze-rolls 37, which rolls may or may not be adjusted to exert pressure on the coacting runs of the wires and intervening sheets, according to requirements. The coacting runs of each set of wires 29-30 and 31-32 pass collinearly from the deflecting roll 37 to and in engagement with a suction transfer roll 38 serving as a guideroll for one of said wires of each pair, while the other wire of each pair is shown passing around a bottom guide roll 39. Guiding and tensioning rolls for the return runs of the several upper wires are indicated at li() and 41, the cylinders 6 and 12 being spaced suiiiciently apart for the accommodation of the rolls 40.

The wire 30 is shown passing from the roll 38 to and in engagement with the cylinder 6, so that the paper sheets continuously formed and tempered on the upper cylinders 33 and 34, which are brought together or in contact by theirl coacting wires and transferred at the roll 38 to the wire 30, may be carried by said wire and applied to the wire 9 on the cylinder 6 or to the sheet formed on said cylinder. Similarly and for like purposes, the wire 31 is shown running from its associated transfer roll 38 to and in engagement with the cylinder 12. It will be observed that the wires 30 and 31 engage the suction rolls 6 and 12 at about the points where the wires 9 and 11 are about to leave the areas subjected to the vacua in chambers 8, so that said chambers in addition to the tempering function serve to suck or transfer the sheets from the wires 30 and 31 to the wires 9 and 11.

Agitators 42 may be provided in certain or all of the vats to permit the liquid stock bearing on segments of the cylinders to be maintained in constant states of agitation for the purpose of maintaining a criss-cross disposition of the pulp iibres in the process of wet sheet formation and to prevent alinement of the fibres in the direction of cylinder rotation. Rotary agitators of the screw type are shown disposed opposite the forming surfaces. If the liquid stock is left quiet in the Vats, the sheets will tend to form with the pulp libres in alinement or disposed in the direction of cylinder rotation, which may be desirable in the production of certain kinds of paper, but

the agitators 42 are set in motion, such alinement or disposition of the fibres under the influence of the vacuum in the forming chambers will be prevented. In making a crossgrained laminated or plural-ply paper, the several sheets or plies may be formed with the grain of the bres in alternate merging sheets running at angles or at substantially right angles to each other, the liquid stock bearing on certain of the forming surfaces for such purpose being agitated in a given direction, while the stock bearing on certain other of the surfaces is agitated in an opposite direct-ion or left quiet. Thus, alternately grained sheets or plies may if desired be formed on any cooperable pair of cylinders.

Additional suction-rolls or forming cylinders may be incorporated in a machine, for instance by superstructural arrangement of such additional cylinders and associated parts with respect to either or both of the pairs of cylinders 33-34 and 35,36, similarly to the arrangement or organization here shown with respect to the lowermost cylinders 6 and 12, and such arrangement or plan in assembling a machine with a larger number of sheet forming cylinders than are shown in the illustrative machine, may be further carried out with respect to successive pairs of cylinders so as to include any desired number of forming surfaces. A machine of the character represented in Fig. 5 or as above defined with reference thereto may be used in making laminated paper of any desired number of plies and thicknesses depending upon the number of cylinders employed for such purpose.

The sheets made and tempered on the upper cylinders and transferred as stated are then carried upon and bet-Ween the converging wires 9 and 11 with the sheets formed on the latter and bonded therewith as will be understood, the bonding process being accompanied by the forcing of one or more moisture expelling media into or through the bonding sheets as they are carried past the blow roll 13 which in Fig. 5 is shown having a box 2O providing compartments for steam and hot air or steam and superheated steam to be successively forced into or through the bonding paper sheets.

Referring to certain details, in Fig. 5 the cylinders of each of the upper pairs of suction rolls are shown driven by intermeshing gears 43 from a gear 44 meshing with one of such gears, while each of the lower cylinders 6 and 12 is shown driven by a gear 45 from a gear 46. In Fig. 1, however, the cylinders 6 and 12 are shown with their gears 45 intermeshing and driven by a single ear 46 in mesh with one of the former. The suction rolls are preferably mounted in anti-friction bearings (not shown) to reduce the power required in effecting rotation of the cylinders and to facilitate high speed operation. The endless wire cloth members are driven by their respective cylinders and guided and tensioned as indicated. In Fig. 1, a supporting frame in which the bearings for the various rolls are mounted is indicated at 47.

In some instances the suction transfer roll 14 may be used as a blow roll in lieu of the roll 13. In such case the roll 14 would be provided with two compartments such as represented by the box 20 of the roll shown in Fig. 4, one of said compartments serving to force the Huid agent into or through the paper and the other being a vacuum compartment for transferring the web. In such a construction a roll corresponding to the roll 17 would be arranged in conjunction with the roll 14 to maintain a suitable lap of the wires and intervening paper sheets on the roll 14.

Obviously the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Various features of the invention may be advantageously used in various different combinations and sub-combinations.

Notice is given of my prior and now pending application Serial No. 610,539, filed January 3, 1923, based upon a process and machine involving continuous vacuum induced formation of a wet paper sheet on an area of a rotating cylinder exposed to vacuum action against liquid stock; and of my prior and now pending application Serial No. 610,538, filed January 3, 1923, based upon a similar process and machine involving vacuum induced formation of the sheet on an endless wire traveling around the vacuum cylinder and also involving the simultaneous formation of sheets on oppositely revolving vacuum cylinders and bonding them to form a unitary plural-ply sheet; in which prior applications I claim more broadly certain subjects-matter' embodied in the disclosure of this application.

What I claim is:

1. A. method of the class described characterized by vacuum-induced formation on rotating cylinders of continuous wet sheets; reducing the moisture content of such sheets by vacuum to substantially the point most advantageous for eective bonding; bringing a plurality of such sheets into contact one with another; and submitting the web of contacting sheets during bonding thereof to pressure of a iuid medium.

2. A method of the class described characterized by vacuum-induced formation of continuous wet sheets; reducing the moisture content of such sheets by vacuum to substantially the point most advantageous for effective bonding; bringing a plurality of such sheets into contact one with another; and bonding such contacting sheets while blowing a moisture-removing medium into or through the web of contacting sheets.

3. A method of the class described characterized by vacuum-induced formation of continuous wet sheets; reducing the moisture content of such sheets by vacuum to substantially the point most advantageous for effective bonding; bring a plurality of such sheets into contact one with another; and bonding such contacting sheets while forcing a heating medium into the paper material.

4. A method of the class described characterized by vacuum-induced formation of continuous wet sheets; reducing the moisture content of such sheets by vacuum to substantially the point most advantageous for effective bonding; bringing a plurality of such sheets into Contact one with another; and bonding such contacting sheets with accompanying moisture reduction and heating of the paper material.

5. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets; conditioning such sheets for bonding by forcing air through the sheets; bringing a plurality of such conditioned sheets into contact one with another without having subjected individual sheets to mechanical pressure; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers; and subjecting the web of contacting sheets while held by said carriers to pressure of a fluid medium.

6. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets; bringing a plurality of such sheets into contact one with another; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers; and forcing a hot moisture removing medium into or through the web of contacting sheets while held by said coacting carriers.

7. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets; conditioning such sheets for bonding; bringing a plurality of such conditioned sheets into contact one with another; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers; and forcing a heating medium into the web of contacting sheets while held by said coacting carriers.

8. A method of the class described characteriZed by forming continuous wet sheets; conditioning such sheets for bonding by forcing air through the sheets; bringing a plurality of such conditioned sheets into contact one with another; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers while pressing the sheets together with a distributed surface pressure applied through said carriers; and submitting the web of contacting sheets so held by said carriers to pressure of a fluid medium.

9. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets; conditioning such sheets for bonding; bringing a plurality of such conditioned sheets into contact one with another; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers while pressing the sheets together with a distributed surface pressure applied through said carriers; and heating the web during the bonding of such sheets together.

10. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets; conditioning such sheets for bonding by forcing air through the sheets; bringing a plurality of such conditioned sheets into contact one with another; carrying such contacting sheets by coacting endless pervious carriers while pressing the sheets together with a distributed surface pressure applied through said carriers; and forcing a hot moisture removing medium into or through the web of contacting sheets while so held by said carriers.

ll. A method of the class described characterized by vacuum-induced formation of cont-inuous wet sheets; abstracting moisture from such sheets by vacuum action; regulating such action to temper the sheets to substantially a predetermined moisture content; bringing a plurality of such tempered sheets into contact one with another; and bonding such contacting sheets while forcing a heating medium thereinto.

l2. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets on endless carriers; convergingly carrying two such sheets by their respective carriers forming one or more other such sheets; conditioning all the sheets for bonding by forcing air through the sheets; introducing said one or more other of such sheets between said t-wo rst mentioned sheets; embracing all said sheets by and between the carriers for said two; and subjecting the web of contacting sheetswhile held by said two carriers to pressure of a Huid medium.

13. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets on endless carriers; convergingly carrying two such sheet-s by their respective carriers;

introducing one or more other of such sheets between said two; embracing and carrying all said sheets by and between the carriers for said two; and forcing a moisture-removing medium into or through the web of contacting sheets while held by said two carriers.

14. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets on endless carriers; convergingly carrying two such sheets by their respective carriers; introducing one or more other of such sheets between said two; embracing all said sheets by and between the carriers for said two; and forcing a heating medium into the web of contacting sheets while held by said two carriers.

15. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets on endless carriers; transferring sheet to sheet from carrier to carrier by vacuum action; embracing a plurality of contacting sheets by and between coacting rims of two said carriers; and bonding such contacting sheets with accompanying moisture reduction and heating.

16. A method of the class described characterized by forming continuous wet sheets and imposing them one upon another to make a web of outer and intermediate layers; reducing the sheets before they are brought into Contact to an advantageous low moisture content for bonding; and bonding said layers while forcing a hot moisture removing medium into or through the web.

17. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means for forming continuous wet sheets and imposing them one upon or in contact with another; said means including endless pervious carriers on which Isuch sheets are formed; means for reducing the moisture content of individual sheets without mechanical compression before such sheets are brought together; coacting runs of such carriers for carrying the contacting sheets during bonding thereof; and means cooperating with such coacting carrier runs for subjecting the intervening web of .sheets to pressure of a iluid medium, said last-mentioned means comprising a rotating perforated cylinder having an internal pressure chamber for said fluid medium.

18. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means for forming continuous wet sheets and imposing them one upon or in contact with another; said means including suction rolls on which such sheets form by vacuum-induced formation; means for conditioning such sheets for bonding by forcing air through the sheets before they are. brought together; and means including sheetgripping runs of coacting endless carriers and associated fluid forcing means, for bonding the contacting sheets.

19. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means for forming continuous wet sheets and imposing one upon or in contact with another; said means including suction rolls for effecting vacuum-induced wet-sheet formation; vacuum means for controllably reducing the moisture content of individual sheets before they are brought together; and means, including sheet-gripping runs of coacting endless carriers and associated fluid forcing means, for bonding the contacting she-ets.

20. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, means for forming continuous wet sheets and imposing them one upon or in contact with another; vacuum means for controllably reducing the moisture content of individual sheets before they are brought in contact; and means, including sheet-gripping runs of coacting endless carriers and a fluid forcing cylinder on which said sheet-gripping runs are trained, for bonding the contacting sheets.

21. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; said carrier-s having sheetcarrying runs going from and converging to a point beyond the rolls and thence having coacting sheet-gripping runs; means deflecting said carriers to provide such coacting runs; and fluid forcing means associated with said coacting runs.

22. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; a blow roll for a fluid medium beyond the suction rolls; said carriers having sheet-carrying runs converging toward the blow roll and coacting sheet-pressing runs entrained about or in engagement with said blow roll.

23. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; a blow roll; the sheet-carrying runs of said carriers entrained in engagement with said blow roll; and a guide roll cooperating with said blow roll to hold the carriers and intervening sheets in firm engagement with the blow roll against the pressure of a medium discharging therefrom.

24. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; a blow roll; the sheetcarrying runs of said carriers entrained in engagement with said blow roll; and an adjust- CII able guide roll cooperating with said blow roll and carriers for applying a regulated pressure through the carriers upon the intervening sheets.

25. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on Asuch rolls; a blow roll; the sheet-carrying runs of said carriers entrained in engagement with said blow roll; a cooperating carrierengaging roll; and means for removing from said cooperating roll moisture discharged from the paper material by the action of the blow roll.

26. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-form ing suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; a blow roll for a fluid medium; said carriers having` coacting sheet-carrying runs engaging said blow roll; a suction transfer roll engaged by one of said carriers. causing the web of bonded sheets to cling thereto and leave the other carrier; and means for transferring such web from the carrier to which it adheres.

27. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; a blow roll for a fluid medium; said carriers having coacting sheet-carrying runs engaging said blow-roll; subsequent means causing the web of bonded sheets to cling to one said carrier; and means for transferring such web from said last-mentioned carrier.

28. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of Isheet-forming suction rolls; with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; means cooperating with a said carrier for applying to the sheet thereon another continuous sheet; means for forming said other sheet; means for conditioning the several sheets for bonding by forcing air through the respective sheets; said carriers bringing all the sheets together; and means for bonding the sheets while forcing a fluid medium into or through the web of bonding material.

29. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of s heet-forming suction rolls, with associated liquid stock holding means; endless carriers entrained about and supplying sheet-forming surfaces on such rolls; said carriers having converging sheet-carrying runs; means for introducing another sheet or sheets between those formed on said carriers; means for forming said other sheet or sheets; means for conditioning the several sheets for bonding by forcing air through the respective sheets; said carriers having coacting runs to carry all the sheets in contact one with another; and means for forcing a fluid medium into or through the web of contacting sheets.

30. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, suction rolls and endless carriers entrained thereon providing rsheet forming surfaceson which continuous wet sheets are formed; means for conditioning the several sheets for bonding by forcing air through the respective sheets; certain of said carriers arranged to transfer sheet to sheet from carrier to carrier; certain of said carriers having coacting runs which embrace and carry all the contacting sheets; and associated means for forcing a fluid medium into or through the web of contacting sheets.

31. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, suction-rolls and associated equipment for simultaneously forming continuous outer plies and one or more intermediate plies of a multiply web; the machine organized and operating to impose the plies one upon or in contact with another; and means for bonding the plies together while forcing a heated fluid medium into or through the web.

32. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, suction-rolls and associated equipment for simultaneously forming continuous outer plies and one or more intermediate plies of a multiply web; the machine organized and operating to impose the plies one upon or in contact with another; means for conditioning the several sheets for bonding by forcing air through the respective sheets; and means for subjecting the web of contacting plies to pressure of a fluid medium.

33. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, suction-rolls and associated equipment for simultaneously forming continuous outer plies and one or more intermediate plies of a multiply web; the machine organized and operating to impose the plies one upon or in contact with another; and means for bonding the plies together with accompanying moisture reduction and heating of the web.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM I-I. MILLSPAUGH. 

